The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-06-04
THE GRAY WOLF.

Our father and mother had gone 10
spend Thanksgiving Day with our grand
mother ii neighboring city, and as
Mali and I we're too small to keep house,
we we're sent down into the country TO
stay with old Uncle Laws and Aunt Katy.
They were not our real uncle and aunt,
but we had adopted them as such be-
cause we loved them. Uncle Laws had
come from Kentucky to Indiana when 1t
was "new" with our grandfather, and had
been an overseer for him there. Our
father at that time was but two years old,
and his mother had died. Good, KIND,
old Uncle Laws took entire care OF MN,
supplying as well as he could that dead
mothers place with devotion that never
was forgotten. Father says he can still
remember how big and thick the biscuits
were that he made and baked in spider
on the Goals. For those years OF kind
ness to the motherless little ones he was
loved and respected by us all.
Uucle Laws lived in log house OF
three rooms, In the room used py the
family to sit in, was large fire place
always filled with logs in the winter, and
even in summer never without little
fire. During the day we would enjoy
ourselves out of doors as only children
can, but when the short day closed those
homesick feelings which town-bred
child always feels In the stiffness OF the
country, would attack US, and longing
to see papa and mamma would come
over us. As we sat on the little stools
Uncle Laws had made specially for us,
gazing into the fire, every noise OF wind
or trees to our childish imaginations was
a wolf or bear although they had long
since disappeared from the country.
Once in a while we could hear fox
bark in the ravine back of the house, or
coon disturbing the chickens.
Nell, who was gazing into the depths
of the great fire silently, suddenly said:
"Aunt Katie, did you ever see a great
big wolff"
Eyes, child" answered Aunt Katie.
And from the look in her face, we knew
she had something interesting to tell us
"Oh, do tell US" we said in chorus, call
about r.
"When we first came to this country
there we're deer, wolves, foxes, wild tur-
KEYS, and even a bear was found in the
woods. 1 was little girl then, only ten
years old. One day mother called to me,
as Marg and I were playing near the
spring, and told me that she wanted me
to go on an errsnd for her to our nearest
neighbours mile and half away, across
the big woods. AS it was early in the
afternoon, she said that l might take
Marg with me, but not to be gone too
late, as there were 'varmints,' as we call
ed all wild animals, such as weasels,
foxes 'coons and 'possums in the woods.
"In those days there we're no stores near
or than twenty miles at which to buy the
things we needed. Mother spun the yarn
to make stockings, linsey for our dresses,
and cloth for the men folks and blue and
white coverlets. Father had learned to
make rough shoes for us children. Mo
ther had borrowed a fiat iron and reed
for running the threads of the warp
through in weaving, and we were to take
them home. remember we'll our pref
ty red and blue plaid dresses at that very
time!
"We started about three o'clock, Marg
carrying the flat-iron and the reed. We
were not bit afraid, and as we went
along we amused ourselves by burying
each other in the fallen leaves, for it was
in November, and in gathering the red
berries of the wild roses to make neck
laces of. In this way time passed quickly
and we noticed that it was getting late.
The sun was low down, and was afraid
that we would not get home before dark.
I took Marg's hand to help her along
faster, and said to her that we couldn't
play any more, for we would frighten
mother if we stayed late.
an this woods were many large trees
that had been blown down in storms and
had lain there for years, until the soft
green moss had covered them. Above
the top of one of these fallen trees, near
the path, saw something shining like
bright spot of light. looked closer to
see what it might be. Marg had not no
ticed it, and 1 didn't tell her to look, for
she was such timid little thing. held
her hand tighter and hurried faster.
was next to the log, and when got near
enough 1 saw that it was the shining
eyes of a great hungry, gray wolf look
ing at us over the top of the log"
80, Aunt Katy, weren't you scared to
deathP" said Nell. shuddering and draw
ing nearer to Uncle Laws.